One or more components, such as a discrete electrical or non-electrical device and/or an integrated circuit (IC) can be mounted and connected to a substrate. The substrate in turn can provide mechanical support for the component(s), allowing the component(s) to be physically incorporated into an assembly. The substrate also can provide electrical and/or thermal connectivity, allowing component(s) to be electrically and/or thermally integrated into the assembly. Many of the components of such an assembly (e.g., an electronic assembly) dissipate heat during normal operation. When convection cooling is unavailable or insufficient, an assembly can rely on conduction cooling to keep component temperatures within safe operating limits. The mounting interface of an assembly may serve as a heat sink for conduction cooling. Components can have one or more direct electrical connections to one or more circuit power and/or ground layers of a supporting substrate.
Thermal conduction cooling techniques include the addition of one or more dedicated heat sink layers in a substrate positioned adjacent to circuit power and/or ground layers. Such a technique may rely on broadside thermal conduction across one or more dielectric layers between circuit power and/or ground layers and the dedicated heat sink layers or layer areas. The dedicated heat sink layers or layer areas can be connected directly to a mounting interface of the assembly, typically a chassis ground.